Tao Te Ching Chapter 64-8 Nine-story tower

Today's Tao

A nine-storeyed tower's construction begins with a small heap of earth. (Ch.64)


In Zen Buddhism, they say exactly the same thing.

For example, Dogen describes it as:

"to pick up one minute piece of dust and build a stupa of Old Buddha".

一微塵を拈じて古仏の塔廟を建立する

(Hotsumujoshin 発無上心, «Shobogenzo»)


The important point is what follows this.


He says:

"this is the act of sending Love".

これが発菩提心なり

[Note]
Literally, "this is the emission of  «Bodai Shin 菩提心 / the mechanism (=heart) of Bodhi (=the spiritual awakening, =the wisdom of Satori)»".
発 [hotsu]: emission.
菩提 [bodai]: the spiritual awakening or the wisdom of Satori.
心 [shin]: mechanism, mind, or heart.

(Ditto)


This is the hologram.

You can find the world inside one tiny mote of dust.

In other words, the mote of dust sends you Love.

You receive Love and project a tower or a stupa, which implies the rest of the world.


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-In order 64-6
-Tree from a hair 64-7
-Nine-story tower 64-8
-A thousand league travel 64-9
-Do and Defeat 64-10
-Stick and Lose 64-11
-Defeat nothing 64-12
-Don't stick 64-13
-Before completed 64-14
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-Desire no desire 64-16
-Rare coins 64-17
-Learn no learn 64-18
-Excess 64-19
-Transformation 64-20
-Don't dare 64-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 64


Tao answers your question!



☞«Animated Classics of Japanese Literature» includes Yasunari Kawabata's «The Dancing Girl of Izu». The story is harmless and lots of Japanese boys and girls still read the Nobel prize winner's masterpiece. Nevertheless, if you think about the fact that the novelist later wrote «The Lake» and «House of the Sleeping Beauties», the seemingly innocent story between a student and a dancing girl will start shedding a different sort of light. On the other hand, Kafu Nagai's «A Strange Tale from East of the River» is a beautiful homage to the innocence and nonchalance of a woman illegally practicing world's oldest profession.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 45-10 Clear & Still

Today's Tao

Being clear and still makes you the master of the world under the sky. (Ch.45)


Be still.

Be clear.

Then, you will be the master of the world.

In other words, when you are calm, you can easily remember the most important fact, which is that true You are Tao itself.


Zen master Dogen says clearly:


"«The highest Bodhi / wisdom 無上菩提 [mujo bodai]»

is

«Authentic manifestation of holography 正法眼蔵 [Shobogenzo]»,

is

«Stillness 寂静 [jaku jo]»,

and

is

«Do nothing 無為 [mu i]»."


(Inmo 恁麼, «Shobogenzo»)


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 45


Tao answers your question!



☞What is happiness to you? Some people dream of a happy retirement, but it was not the case with Katsushika Hokusai. To him, happiness is painting. He just wanted to paint and the rest had no importance. Money, fame, or even the hygiene of his house was not important at all. At the moment of his departure from this floating world, he wished he were able to live five, ten years more to be a perfect painter.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 23-9 Bonno soku bodai

Today's Tao

When you don't have enough faith, you doubt it. (Ch.23)


Faith and doubt. You know them very well.

Today, let's learn a powerful spiritual tool called "Bonno soku bodai / Being lost is justly Bodhi, or the spiritual awakening".

If you don't have enough faith, you cannot accept all.

Then, you create resistance against accepting your hologram (=the world).

Your resistance create images or feelings that bother you. These hindrances come about in your hologram.

Then, you are completely confused and lost in Mayoi.

But, do not worry.

Their goal is not to make you suffer but to lead you to the attainment of Tao.

That's why in Zen Buddhism they say:

"Being lost is justly the spiritual awakening".

Bonno soku bodai 煩悩即菩提.

Thank you.


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-Bonno soku bodai 23-9
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 23


Tao answers your question!



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-I have been waiting for this truly for decades. I have been thinking for ages that someone has to translate this underrated master's works.
There is nothing wrong with being commercial. Futaro Yamada's imagination and originality deserve a place in Japan's history of literature. I sincerely want to thank Mr Geoff Sant, the translator, and his editor for their contribution without snobbism in introducing the excellent literary works in Japanese into English.